Reference to background art herein is not to be construed as an admission that such art constitutes common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.
Various motorised vehicles are known for traversing land. Different vehicles have been developed for different uses and terrain. More recently, motorised skateboards have been developed. These are typically driven by an electric motor that the operator controls while standing on a deck of the skateboard.
To date problems associated with traction, distance and terrain have contributed to limiting motorised skateboards from being used in outdoor environments, such as on a golf course. For example, not having sufficient traction can result in the wheels spinning and skidding on terrain, particularly if the terrain is loose or wet. This is not only dangerous to the operator and those nearby, but on a golf course this is particular undesirable as the terrain, and in particular maintained grass surfaces (e.g. the fairway or greens), may be damaged.
Having insufficient power and torque to traverse hills means the skateboard may be unable to travel where desired. This is inconvenient to the operator, and in a golf course environment may result in an operator having to walk large distances on unlevel terrain to reach the desired location (e.g. where their ball has landed, or where tee-off occurs). A further issue is that when stopped on an incline (e.g. to get or hit a ball), the skateboard may not be able to provide sufficient torque to start moving on the incline again. It has also been found that increasing the motor size to provide additional power and torque presents further problems, such as belts between the motor and the wheels slipping.
Not having sufficient battery power to enable an operator to travel sufficient off road distances can result in the operator being stranded. Furthermore, in a golf course environment this may result in the skateboard not being able to traverse the desired number of holes.
Not having sufficient clearance can result in non-wheeled portions of the skateboard, such as the deck, engaging with the ground. This not only affects ride quality, but can be dangerous as it may suddenly decelerate, or even leverage, the vehicle. Furthermore, terrain damage is almost certain to occur.
Another limitation of motorised skateboards is the limited load capacity. While they can convey an operator, they are not suited to carrying additional loads, such as baggage, tools, or other apparatus. Any additional loads that an operator wants to take must be able to be carried, or at the very least held, by the operator.
Golf carts are a known and generally accepted motorised vehicle for traversing golf courses. They have four wheels, two seats, and space for at least two golf bags. They are relatively stable and capable of traversing most of the off-road terrain presented by a golf course at moderate speeds. However, golf carts have their limitations.
Typically two players share a golf cart, but this means they both have to travel to the same location at the same time. For example, they may hit their balls in two completely different directions, but they cannot travel to them simultaneously. After travelling to one ball it is then necessary to travel to the other ball. After travelling to the first ball the second ball may be more difficult, or even impossible, to locate. Furthermore, the additional travelling and waiting slows the game down. This in turn limits when another set of players can start on a particular hole and, consequently, limits how many players can play on a golf course at any one time.
Alternatively, if each player has their own golf cart then traffic congestion may be problematic on the golf course. For example, four golf carts would need to be parked at each tee off and green location and, inevitably, further groups may catch up to another group meaning that double, or even triple, the number of vehicles may need to find places to park while waiting. A further problem is that twice as many golf carts are required which puts an increasing burden on the golf course operator. For example, they would need to purchase and maintain twice as many golf carts, and then also provide parking and security for the increased number of golf carts when not in use.